‘Ball in Yerevan’s court,’ says Russia’s envoy, pushing new nuclear reactor deal

By Alexander Pracht

Moscow expects Yerevan to choose Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom to construct a new unit to replace Armenia’s sole nuclear power plant before its retirement in 2036, the country’s ambassador Sergey Kopyrkin said in an interview with the Moscow-based newspaper Noyev Kovcheg published on Monday.

Rosatom has supplied nuclear fuel and maintenance to the Metsamor plant, located southwest of Yerevan, since Armenia’s independence. In recent years, however, Armenian officials have said they are considering alternative contractors, in a move widely interpreted as part of efforts to reduce dependence on Russia in the energy sector.

“The ball is in Yerevan’s court. Our Armenian partners have been given a package of thoroughly developed and very advantageous proposals from Rosatom, which is ready to begin implementation in the shortest possible time,” Kopyrkin said.

He added that there are no reliable, already proven technologies comparable to Russia’s offer, either technologically or financially, likely referring to Armenia’s interest in U.S.-designed small modular reactors.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly said Yerevan is examining multiple options, including Russian, U.S., Chinese, and South Korean proposals, stressing in October that Armenia’s choice will be driven by cost and technology rather than politics.

A key challenge is that most solutions available on the international market are larger than what Armenia requires. Accepting such a design could significantly alter the country’s energy mix, while Armenia currently lacks both the infrastructure and the demand to export large volumes of surplus electricity, despite limited exports to Georgia and Iran. Yerevan is therefore seeking a smaller-capacity reactor, with both Russia and the United States signaling readiness to supply one. 

In an interview with CivilNet earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador Kristina Kvien acknowledged that small modular reactors are “a new technology for the U.S.” and are yet to be fully developed and implemented, but noted that there is sufficient time before 2036, when the Metsamor plant is scheduled to be decommissioned. 

“The United States does have several companies that are developing small modular reactor technologies. We would love to have a U.S. company be considered for that project and we'll continue to work with the Armenian government to show them what our technologies can offer,” she said.

Armenia is also seeking to conclude a so-called 123 Agreement with the United States, a legal framework required for Washington to export nuclear fuel and civilian nuclear technology. Cooperation in nuclear energy is referenced in recent memoranda of understanding between the two countries, including those signed in January under the outgoing Joe Biden administration and August under the Donald Trump administration.

The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, commissioned in 1976, is the only nuclear facility in the South Caucasus. Its operational life has been extended several times with Russian assistance, its final deadline set for 2036. Despite opposition from Turkey and Azerbaijan, which cite safety concerns over the plant’s proximity, Armenia has stated it intends to replace Metsamor and continue using nuclear power as part of its national energy strategy.